We went to Panera Bread last week and I got soy milk in my latte and was charged 59 cents extra (and got an unasked for lecture from the cashier about how soy causes cancer...).

Is it the norm for restaurants to charge more for things like that? If you bring up food allergies, do they make exceptions (this lady didn't, or couldn't)? I wrote an email to the company but of course have not heard back.

I can see them charging for certain special requests, but not if it's to modify a dish to make it allergen-free.

My experience has always been to pay through the nose for safe foods for my guys. The day I find cheaper safe food I will likely keel over.

I can see them charging more for soy milk because it's more expensive per litre compared to milk -- isn't it?? (Maybe I'm wrong on this one. I know that rice milk is a lot more expensive per litre!) I can't see them making exceptions - if they did everyone would be saying they are "allergic", which I can see causing a whole other bunch of problems (like the truly allergic people not being taken seriously).

As for the lecture, that's totally unacceptable! What business is it of hers what beverage you consume - especially since it's a product sold by the place where she's working! I would be more annoyed by that than by the extra cost, to be honest.

Even here in Hippie Town, USA where every street corner is full of organic vegetables and soy milk is king, we have to pay extra for it in drinks to make the drink "allergen" free. I don't think it's right, but I guess I can see the businesses point of view. Otherwise everyone would say they were allergic to avoid paying the cost. Maybe the could institute a rule that if you're not wearing a medical ID you have to pay more? I don't know.

It's just like the dumb food co-op here. It's the only place in town I can get certain allergy free things and I had to join or pay higher prices. I think the joining fee should have been waived since I do have allergies and it's hard to find food, but they weren't going for it.

I just checked my grocery receipt, and soy milk does cost about double what I've paid for cow's milk. So I guess it is a higher expense, but really, how many people actually WANT soy milk (outside of isolated Bohemian areas)? The cashier at Panera acted like it was a weird request anyway.

I think I saw some little 8 oz size shelf stable multipacks at Mrs. Green's - maybe I should just carry my own soy milk in the diaper bag.

I don't like milk in my tea any more (and I really don't like soy milk or rice milk in my tea) so I carry a little container of Coffee Rich with me when I think ahead enough. It is soy-based but for some reason I like the taste with my tea. It's something I actually grew up on as a child (allergic to milk) -- we would cut it with water and I'd put it on my cereal. May sound gross but it's a heck of a lot better than orange juice on cereal, which was the only other option for us back then.

I rediscovered it when I avoided dairy when nursing my son. Now I'm addicted to it! LOL.

Gwen, next time I'll send that cashier your way! She looked at me like I had three heads when I asked for the soy milk!

We actually used to always have soy milk (chocolate) because for some reason my husband liked it. But then he read it would aggravate his kidney stones so he stopped drinking it. Now it's back in the house, but I bought him a quart of milk today. Don't know if the kidney stone thing is true or not, though.

I'd much prefer that Kate was allergic to soy than dairy - I'd rather she have more "whole" foods than all this processed fakey soy stuff. Of course, Id really much prefer she outgrow all these allergies. And I'd really really much prefer that the allergist would actually CALL ME today and let me know what the blood test results were from the blood she had taken 11 days ago. Geez.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant. I went grocery shopping today and it was annoying to have to put the things with wheat back when I don't really know if she's even allergic.

More upscale places like Second Cup don't look at you funny when you ask for soy milk, it's even on the menu. They do charge a premium for it.

If you have a milk allergy however, getting a latte with soy milk is not necessarily a safe alternative as they use the same frothing arm that they put in the milk to froth the soy. Big time cross-contamination here.

_________________15 year old - asthmatic, allergic to cats, dogs, horses, waiting to be "officially" diagnosed for anaphylaxis
12 year old - asthmatic, allergic to tree pollen and mold, OAS
Husband - Allergic to amoxycillin
Self - Allergic to housework only

And if they stick the soy under the frother - bigtime cross-contam. for those of us with the reverse problem. Something I hadn't thought to ask about.

Katesmom - I hear you on the shopping: sometimes in the grocery store, when every product I touch seems to contain soy as an "emulsifier" - I get frustrated and have to wheel my buggy down an aisle and just breathe and regroup.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum